Question from one of my fitness/business mentors:
“Do you mind sharing what you did to make this happen”:

My response (from my heart):
“I just truly stopped trying to be someone else. I’ve been praying hard about who I am and living so that my truest self shows up, no matter where I am. I’m learning that I’m not one person as a fitness instructor and another person in my ‘personal life’. I am who I am. I can’t turn something on for one group of people then claim to ‘turn it off’ for another. I stopped trying to please people and focused on pleasing God.

At the beginning of the year I decided I was putting First Things First; that meant God first, everything else was second…including my plans. I figured if God wants it in my life, He’ll see to it that it happens. And here we are!

I soooo appreciate my Pastor for holding us accountable! We’ve gotta hold each other accountable on EVERYTHING (spirit, soul, body, finances & relationships) my pastor calls those the arenas of life. Arena-because that’s where battles are fought! And won!”

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, … We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. (Hebrews 12:1-6 NLT)

Every weight. Wow. So, that must mean that there’s more than just one or two, but quite possibly several that we haven’t even realized are weights. You know what I’m talkin’ about, the stuff that weighs you down. The stuff where the hurt & the healer collide.

I’m so committed to gettin’ that junk off of me. Yesterday I kept replaying the devotional I read concerning Moses questioning his qualifications. UGGGGG talk about a pesky weight. All day I was feelin’ like Moses.

I’m committed to getting rid of this weight for good. I’ve set my FOCUS on staying #ANCHORED so I’ve surrounded myself with every possible resource I can find that will help me get beyond myself & my rationalizations. Those “as soon as” & “I’m gonna do this when” rationalizations.

I had to come to a point where I realized I didn’t have it all together, AND THAT’S A HARD PILL TO SWALLOW. I don’t know how to do everything, and yes I can do all things in Christ, because Christ will supply ALL of my needs; however those needs include connecting me with people who can teach me what I don’t know. Or people who can do things that I can’t.

I’m LOVIN’ LOSIN’ this extra weight!

The other day in our bible study we talked about honoring our uniqueness, that each of us are designed for a specific purpose and not a single one of us can do the other person’s job. (1 Corinthians 12)

What stood out to me most was the fact that the bible actually says we shouldn’t even consider ourselves more valuable than another person, or vise versa, nor should we think that we can do life without one another. This was proof that I can’t possibly do EVERYTHING, but I can do ALL THINGS that CHRIST gave ME strength to do.

1 CORINTHIANS 12: 14 – (ISV) For the body does not consist of only one part, but of many. 15If the foot says, “Since I’m not a hand, I’m not part of the body,” that does not make it any less a part of the body, does it? 16And if the ear says, “Since I’m not an eye, I’m not part of the body,” that does not make it any less a part of the body, does it? 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole bodye were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18But now God has arranged the parts, every one of them, in the body according to his plan.f19Now if all of it were one part, there wouldn’t be a body, would there? 20So there are many parts, but one body.

21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you,” or the head to the feet, “I don’t need you.” 22On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are in fact indispensable, 23and the parts of the body that we think are less honorable are treated with special honor, and we make our less attractive parts more attractive. 24However, our attractive parts don’t need this. But God has put the body together and has given special honor to the parts that lack it,25so that there might be no disharmony in the body, but that its parts should have the same concern for each other. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part is praised, every part rejoices with it.

I love God’s way of putting the right message in front of us, at the perfect time. I’m still reading You’re Already Amazing. Well at this point I’m not reading it. I’m nibbling on it. In bite size pieces, savoring every morsel and allowing the taste to stay with me. Oh my gosh, God has connected the pieces of this book with literally every part, every situation and every person in my life. PROVIDENCE is what Beth Moore calls it. Praise the Lord for Providence.

prov·i·dence

/ˈprävədəns/

Noun

The protective care of God or of nature as a spiritual power.

God or nature as providing such care.

Synonyms

foresight – forethought – prudence

According to merriam-webster’s here’s a clever way of considering that PROVIDENCE:

Rhymes with PROVIDENCE

ME LIKELY!!!!! Let’s run with that! When you get a chance, click each word and check out the definitions and look at how God works. WHEW y’all gonna get me shoutin’ hallelujah up in here!

So back to this providence of God. I’ve talked to so many people who have confessed one weight that consistently holds them back is financial freedom. I came across this financial freedom savings challenge & thought it would be awesome to include in our #LovinLosin challenge and help us adjust our “FOCUS”. In case you’re not sure what that means, I’ll refresh your memory on the F.O.C.U.S (finish our commitments unapologetically stronger).

What tends to hinder you? Fear of failure? Fear of commitment? Fear that you can’t do all things? Sometimes, the Providence of God says “DO WHAT YOU CAN” – you do what you can to take steps and move in the direction God has for your LIFE. (from You’re Already Amazing)

If you could create a “Do What You Can” plan, what would it look like?

Use this model from the resource library of You’re Already Amazing to help you: (please share your ‘plan’ in the comments below. I’d love to help you get rid of the extra weight. Don’t forget to apply your #LOVINLOSIN anchor scripture as you create this plan.

What’s keepin’ your heart pumpin’ & spirit movin’? January is over. How’d you fair on your new year, new you goals? Did you set expectations that were S.M.A.R.T. (we can discuss that further), did you make sure you kept your F.O.C.U.S.?

Hold on, let me pause for a second, I really want to show you this. Maybe you’ve seen this already, or maybe you could use a reminder…

You feel that heart beat in your chest…that means get up & do somethin’…

Wasn’t that AWESOME? Don’t be boring…anybody can be boring!

So, I committed to a 30 day challenge and I’m proud to say it’s now day 31!!!

I started the challenge originally in 2011 with a totally different mind set. Yeah, I was quite negative and condescending. Consequently I had only completed the first half of the challenge. With that in mind and a biblical truth-anchored (Matthew 6:33) mantra of “FIRST THINGS FIRST”; I put my life, hope, trust, goals, priorities and family in His hands. I fixated my thoughts on the decision that where He says go, I’ll go, when He closes a door I’ll trust that He’s got something better.

I’ve prayed some big prayers over the last 30 days, focused and anchored in the truth of Gods word! The greatest opportunity in all of this, knowing that God has plans for my life (Jeremiah 29:11) and I have full access to those plans!

It feels like my life got a full detox, inside & out!!!

As a result of this challenge, one of the habits I’m working to develop is getting organized. I was gonna say more organized but that would be a lie, I’ve kinda got this system of piles going on.

I’m actually pulling together the February challenge so we’ll really sort through some things, we’re gonna learn what to keep, what to donate, and what to toss.

I read a blog on simple space & money savers…things like arranging packages so expiration dates are visible & keeping an inventory so you know exactly what you have, laying boxes on their sides saved space, etc. I can’t wait to get the next challenge started!!!

I’m jazzed about the progress I’ve had so far so I decided I might use some of my new-found F.O.C.U.S. to I tackle the office closet, y’all I found priceless fitness material I had previously researched and never used …SCORE…ooh the things to come from that treasure find! Anyway, I found a box of over 9 years worth of journals. Some bible study notes, others heart reflections that literally had me in tears. So much proof that God was watching over me & answering prayers. It really got me to thinking, some of the stuff I found, under all those piles of clutter, I had been scratching my head and flipping my house upside down trying to find it. Other stuff I was literally like whoa I forgot I had this. So I wondered, what could I find that I already have that might be hidden under a cluttered thoughts, cluttered expectations, cluttered vision. What hidden priceless knowledge or talents could be uncovered if I just learned what to keep, donate or toss? Where there prayers that have already been answered but I just couldn’t ‘find them’ under the piles of organized chaos?

This 30 day PUSH challenge isn’t over. Honestly, not to sound cliché or cheesy but I feel like I just got started. I’m still nose deep in the self inventory of You’re Already Amazing and since I synced the chapters parallel to the calendar and this challenge I’ve cried so many tears of joy over the current chapter of “What Does God Want Me to Do with My Life”. Holley Gerth coaches us on how to uniquely craft a LIFE statement. She says…

In our culture, that’s often called a mission statement. And while I think those can be helpful, it feels like the title can be a bit misleading. As believers, we all ultimately have the same mission. God gave it to us in Galatians 5:6: (The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.) We’re here to express faith through love – for God, others, and ourselves.”

So instead of writing a mission statement, we’ve used the following prompt to create our L.I.F.E. statement. (Love Is Faith Expressed)

I am created and called to express my faith through love, especially by…

+ (WHAT) + ( WHO ) + ( HOW )

Holley’s example reads: I am created and called to express my faith through love, especially by bringing hope and encouragement to the hearts of women through word.

What would be your L.I.F.E. statement? I’m still working on mine, praying over it and letting this scripture guide me.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (MSG

We’re not keeping this quiet, not on your life. Just like the psalmist who wrote, “I believed it, so I said it,” we say what we believe. And what we believe is that the One who raised up the Master Jesus will just as certainly raise us up with you, alive. Every detail works to your advantage and to God’s glory: more and more grace, more and more people, more and more praise! So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever. (2 Corinthians 4:13-18 MSG)

You’re already amazing, be blessed in knowing this…

“God is love-whatever he directs you to do will be loving to others too.

Your GPS (God Positioning System) is going to get you exactly where you need to go. And he promises to be with you every step of the way. -“You’re Already Amazing” by Holley Gerth (ch 5 pg. 79)

I was having a conversation with a few friends regarding fitness, spiritual balance and finding our own levels of accomplishments in the goals we’ve set over the past year and where we’re headed in the next year. Our conversation, I believe is the conversation most women are having either with trusted friends or among themselves for fear of being found vulnerable realizing we don’t yet have it together. I’m sharing this raw, unedited conversation with you because all to often we get trapped in this belief that we are the only ones who need help, lack strength, experience or flat out don’t know what happened to our ‘perfect plan’ and sometimes we don’t know how to move on.

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it’s the Lord’s purpose that prevails”

(Proverbs 19:21)

CHRISTIE: have you or anyone you knew prayed verses or prayers through out the workout?

ME: yup I have, still do. And I know several women who do it when they run/workout

That’s why I chose some of the music I choose because the lyrics are usually straight from scripture

CHRISTIE: yeah ok, my thought is if you stay focused on word rather than just doing it or to any other music it will be more… motivation and… be retraining your mind as well

renewal

ME: Everyone finds their own level of motivation. Sometimes I find myself just praising in the middle of my teaching. In the spirit I’m fighting battles, praising victories or just honoring God but I’m still talking to my class.

THAT is exactly what inneractive IS Ephesians 3:16-22

CHRISTIE: awesome if that is not my focus, i won’t be able to continue

ME: see sometimes we get so super spiritual and we’re quoting scripture and we say we are spiritually “strong” yet on the outside we are all sorts of out of shape But here’s the thing the enemy does. He knows he can’t mess with you on the spiritual stuff. right…

So he keeps attacking you on the outside

CHRISTIE: yep i believe that was what happened to me

cause i was praising,praying,professing & believing & doing and bam!

but then again i did not heed the warning the lord gave me

ME: He puts you in front of the mirror, someone you’ve been trying to prove yourself to or you’ve been subconsciously measuring yourself against and he starts to whisper lies

Trust me. I know it well he tries to get me all the time. sometimes I fall for it

CHRISTIE: we all do,i had to realize i am not you,you are far advanced than i even though it is a challenge & even though i received a set back,i am not a loser i just need to persistently keep movin

i was trying to prove i could with out paying attention to my body”s signs

God will only allow YOUR body to get in the shape IT needs to be in for the task YOU need to accomplish and YOU can only do what YOUR body will do

CHRISTIE: Learning to be a steward of my body,mind & spirit

it tells me what i need & what i need to focus on & adjust

ps 23: he is my shepherd/coach

If you’ve just joined our book discussion, this week we’re reviewing chapters 5 & 6 of You’re Already Amazing, in chapter 5 “Where Am I Going?” Holley Gerth helps us navigate the path we’re currently on. For some that path is twisting and seems like a bunch of zigzagging. For others it’s a long country corn field road that seems to go on forever with no scenery worth taking in, just straight ahead. Been there? I certainly have. What about the lonely road? The one you’re driving on, you keep checking your GPS to make sure you haven’t lost the signal cuz you’re the only car on the road? Did you miss the detour, the BRIDGE OUT sign…

God has a journey for your life. It looks different than anyone else’s. the road he’s carved out for you is yours alone. It’s always the road less traveled because you’re the only one who is ever going to walk it. (p.79)

FRIEND #2

ME: Why do you say you’re tired. I don’t like those words “I’m just tired”

those words are more emotional/spiritual than physical

FRIEND: I don’t like saying them

ME: you’re not allowed to stop fighting

but you are allowed to stop TRYING

there’s a difference

You know the scripture that says “pick up my yoke, it’s easy”…

FRIEND: I have been struggling spiritually also. I know, I know. I am so UNBALANCED now. I feel lost.

ME:

when we TRY that pretty much means we’ve decided to carry everything on our own shoulders and back, with hardly enough endurance to keep movin’…we say that we are letting God do it for us, when in fact we’re just barely lifting up our eyes toward the sky to make sure the sky hasn’t fallen on us. LOL the weights we carry around become so heavy that it literally pushes our head down to the point that we can’t even lift it. All we can do is lift our eyes

FRIEND: It ends today. I can’t continue to feel this way. I want to blame it on Lupus, on my job- it ends today!

ME: BUT THE WORD SAYS…I will lift my eyes to the hills where my help comes from.

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates (cutting between)/dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges (exposes) the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (innermost thoughts and desires). Hebrews 4:12 (NIV/NLT)

Most of us are rekindling “best of” memories from the year, hashing over the “how-on-earth-did-I-survive-that” mind blowing moments and doing our best to lay out realistic intentions/commitments/resolutions for the coming year. Whatever you find yourself doing in these few countdown days & hours, always remember that God will never leave you or forsake you.

“When we’re in the ‘middle’ of life, we can take comfort in knowing we’re right in the center of God’s hands too.” (Holley Gerth)

But the question, quite honestly keeps dissecting in my mind, creating 3 separate questions…and yet each individual question is multilevel with questions within the big question.

WHY? why would anyone think/say/believe I am…what makes me amazing?

IS IT SO HARD? I mean, is it really something I need to be convinced of, consistently? And is it a question or more of a declaration I’m screaming at the world & God with a slight plea with tear filled eyes of GIVE ME GRACE!

I’M AMAZING? again asking with uncertainty looking for confirmation…

Proverbs 13:10 NLT
“Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise.”

On every page of Chapter 3, Holley has poured out her heart and addresses the heart of women who quite often can be heard muttering words of “self-confidence” hidden under other forms of insecurity such as social status & celebrity. Sometimes that status we strive for is simply asking am I enough.

I think she nailed it.

We all have lies we carry around inside us. Usually they’re so familiar we don’t even pay attention to them…the accusations and lies in our lives come in different ways. Some are completely undeserved…insensitive parents; insecure peers who tear us down to build themselves up; poor choices of our own create lingering lies long after we’ve been forgiven.

Whatever the source, God’s intent remains the same: to replace those lies with truth.

This chapter was hard.

Confession: as I read through the lies my heart began to weep, knowing I have reached a point in my own life that Christ has drawn the line in the sand and those stones cannot be thrown at me, yet others are still in the process of being exchanged with the Truth of Gods Word. I know some things, other things I KNOW.

1 corinthians 8:1 (HCSB) Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up. If anyone thinks he knows anything, he does not yet know it as he ought to know it. But if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.

(one version says knowledge Puffeth up… “And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know”.) Lord help me to never cause myself, to make myself “puffeth”-ed up.

As this year comes to a close the days are seeming longer for me, I’m convinced God is allowing me space & time to do the things He’s asked me to do & has whispered in my ear “you KNOW you’re fully qualified”

I remember a radio show I used to listen to as a kid that would highlight quirky stories or headlines some quite kitschy others were thought-provoking. The gist of every one was to show you that everything has a beginning, middle and end. That we should never take what it looks like and make any assumptions of C’est La Vie…he closed every show with “now you know, the REST of the story”

My life…is so far from where it began, yet it’s nowhere near the end (Jeremiah 29:11) but right here where I am, right there where you are… let’s declare…I AM AMAZING! (side bar: no puffeth)

For further “knowing” especially regarding the freedom from that annoying lie called “ENOUGH” have a conversation with God using these questions which Holley discusses/uncovers regarding the lies we’re so easily trapped by.

1 Corinthians 8 is a great ‘freedom’ scripture regarding freedom from food lies.

1. I have to be perfect? What does a god want you to pursue instead of perfection? (Hebrews 10:14)

2. I need to be more like her? Who do you tend to compare yourself to? What helps you focus on who you are in Christ instead?

3. Won’t being confident make me prideful and selfish? What’s the difference between insecurity and humility?

4. Write a short prayer asking God to continue revealing any lies in your life and to lead you into the truth about who you really are in him.

God wants to remove all those lies we keep recalling, He wants to help us KNOW that we KNOW that we KNOW (1 Corinthians 3) In the words of the late radio show host Paul Harvey, “and now you know the rest of the story, good day”.